Scraper control



1949- R/G. LE TOURNEAU ,4

SCRAPER CONTROL Filed July 1o, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

g R, G. leTourneau H mm HTTKS Aug. 2, 1949. R. G. LE TOURNEAU SCRAPERCONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 10, 1945 INVENTOR. 111G .ZYZSurneau-MI W HTTYS A. 2, W49. .R. G. LE TOURNEAU S CRAPER CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Filed July 10, 1945 w e m n m T T T m A w. a G x m NM NM v. B\-EE=55:: W X M gg;is; m r w R, N mm. Qm NW Patented Aug. 2, 1949 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SCRAPER CONTROL Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria,111., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., acorporation of California Application July 10, 1945, Serial No. 604,257

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in earth working scrapers of theload carrying type which include a bowl mounted for vertical movementbetween a lowered digging position and a raised carrying position; anapron mounted for vertical movement between a lowered position inclosing relation to the initially open front end of the bowl, and araised position opening said end of the bowl; and a rear endgate in thebowl movable longitudinally therein between a retracted position to anadvanced position to discharge a load from said bowl when the apron isopen.

One feature of the present invention is the provision of a separatepower unit for actuating each of the above enumerated functional partsof the scraper; i. e. the bowl; the apron; and the endgate.

Another feature of the present invention is that said separate powerunits are independently and selectively controlled by the operator,whereby a nicety of adjustment for each of said functional parts of thescraper can be attained, regardless of the working positions of theother parts.

A further feature of the invention is the provancing and retractingpower unit.

vision of separate power units, as above, which include, in eachthereof, a reversible electric motor driving through a unitary reductiongear box, and an automatic releasing, but normally engaged, brakeoperative to prevent rotation of the electric motor except when the sameis energized to rotate in one diredtion or the other.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision, in certain ofsaid power units, of an actuating assembly which includes an elongatedscrew coupled in driven relation to the unit, said unit being fixedrelative to the scraper part to be operated, and a thrust nutnon-rotatably mounted on said scraper part and through which nut theactuating screw is threaded, whereby when the latter is rotated the nuttravels in one direction or the other to produce a correspondingmovement of the scraper part.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a scraper em- Figure 5 is an enlargedfragmentary plan view of the apron raising and lowering power unit.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the invention is here shown as embodied in a scraper whichincludes a main bowl I initially open at its forward end and including,at its forward edge, a full width, forwardly and downwardly inclinedcutting or digging blade 2. The bowl I is formed at its rear end with arigidly projecting skeleton frame 3, on opposite sides of which groundengaging wheels 4 are journaled in supporting relation to the rear endof the bowl. The bowl is thus vertically swingable about the axis ofwheels 4 between the raised carrying position of Fig. 1 and the lowereddigging position of Fig. 2. At its forward end the bowl I is supportedfor such vertical movement by a heavy-duty yoke 5 of the transverselyspaced leg type, and which yoke is pivotally connected at the lower endsof its legs, as at 6, with the bowl I at the front and on opposite sidesthereof. The yoke 5 is formed centrally at ,the top with a forwardlyprojecting rigid attachment neck 1, which is here shown as coupled to atractor, indicated in part at 8, by means of a combinationtractor-trailer coupling and power steering unit -9.

Vertical movement of the bowl I between its raised carrying position andlowered digging position is accomplished through the medium of a bowlraising and lowering power unit, shown in detail in Fig. 3, whichcomprises the following:

The yoke 5 is formed, at the top, with a suitably braced upstandingframe Ill, and the bowl I is formed,- adjacent its forward end, with acomplementary upstanding frame II; said frames terminating at theirupper ends in substantially the same horizontal plane. At its upper endthe frame I0 supports an electric power unit, indicated generally at I2,and which power unit comprises a reversible electric motor I3 drivingrearwardly through a reduction gear box I4 which includes a rearwardlyprojecting output shaft I5 disposed within a rigid tubular hood It.

arman The electric power unit I! also includes a brake I! normallyengaged but arranged to automatically release upon actuation of thereversible electric motor l3 in either direction; a brake of thischaracter being shown in detail in applicant's copending application,Serial No. 612,329, filed August 24, 1945, on Electric power unit.

The output shaft I5 is coupled, within the tubular hood I6, and by meansof a universal joint I8, to the. forward end of a heavy-duty elongatedscrew I9. The frame II on the bowl I is fitted, at its upper end, with acage 20 in which a nut 2| is disposed for relative rocking movementabout a transverse axis; the nut, however, being retained in the cageagainst rotation. This is accomplished by means of cross bolts 22 whichextend in loose-play relation through opposed, outwardly projecting ears23 on the nut.

When the electric power unit I2 is rotated in one direction,corresponding rotation of the screw H in the nut 2| causes relativeseparation of the frames I0 and II lengthwise of the scraper, withconsequent raising of the bowl I to carrying position. Reverse rotationof the electric power unit l2 causes relative approaching movement ofthe frames l0 and II, which results in-the bowl I being lowered untilthe digging blade 2 is disposed in ground engagement.

With the above described bowl raising and lowering power unit, thevertical movement of the bowl is effectively controlled, and when thescraper is in digging position, the blade 2 can .be positively urgedinto ground engagement.

The screw I9 is protected from dust and dirt by an accordion-type sleeve24 which extends between the adjacent ends of the hood I6 and the cage20. Beyond the cage 29, in a rearward direction, the screw runs into anenclosed tubular guard 25 fixed in connection with and projectingrearwardly from the upper end portion of the frame II.

The bowl I is provided with a rear endgate 26 supported from the sidesof the bowl by a roller carriage 21, for movement between a normallyretracted position to an advanced position in the bowl to discharge aload therefrom.

The rear endgate 26 is advanced and retracted by a separate power unit,as shown in Fig. 4, and which comprises the following:

The rigid, rearwardly projecting skeleton frame 3 of the bowl I includestherein a horizontal cross beam 28 from which a pair of transverselyspaced, rearwardly and longitudinally extending frame members 29project. Some distance to the rear of the cross beam 28 the framemembers 29 support an electric power unit therebetween, and which powerunit is indicated generally at 30. The power unit 38 is constructed inthe same manner as the electric power unit l2, and includes a reversibleelectric motor 3|; a reduction gear box 32; an output shaft 33 within aforwardly projecting tubular hood 34; and a normally engaged butautomatically releasing brake 35.

The output shaft 33 of the electric power unit 30 is coupled within thehood 34, and by means of a universal joint 36, to the rear end of ahorizontal, forwardly projecting heavy-duty screw 31. Ahead of the powerunit 39 the screw 31 runs through a thrust nut 38 non-rotatably mountedin a cage 39, but supported therein for rocking movement about atransverse axis. The mounting of the nut 38 in the cage 39 is the sameas the mounting for the not 2!, and includes cross bolts 48 extending inloose-play relation through 4 opposed, outwardly projecting ears H onsaid nut.

The rear endgate 26 includes a rigid, rearwardly projecting andconverging frame assembly 42 which is fixed, at its rear end. inconnection with the cage 39 through the medium of a rigid tubular guard43 which surrounds saidscrew 31 between the cage 39 and the rear endgate23; said tubular guard being fixed both to the cage and to the rearendgate.

With the above arrangement, actuation of the electric power unit 30 inone direction causes the nut 38 to advance along the screw 31, withconsequent advance of the rear endgate 26, while operation of the powerunit 39 in the other direction will result in retraction of said rearendgate. The movement of the rear endgate 26 is thus positive andforceful, both in its advancing and retracting movements.

The screw 31 is protected from dust and dirt ahead of the nut 38 by thetubular guard 43, and is protected between the nut 38 and the hood 34byan accordion sleeve 44.

An apron 45 is disposed at the forward end of the bowl I, and includestransversely spaced, rearwardly projectin side arms 46 which extendalong the outside of corresponding sides of the bowl to pivotalconnection therewith, as at 41. In this manner the apron is mounted forvertical swinging movement between a lowered position in closingrelation to the initially open front end of the bowl, as in Fig. 1, anda raised position opening said front end of the bowl, as in Fig. 2. Suchvertical movement of the apron is controlled by an apron raising andlowering power unit, shown in detail in Fig. 5, which comprises thefollowing:

An electric power unit, indicated generally at 48, is mounted on theupper end of the frame I to one side of the cage 20, with the axis ofsaid electric power unit 48 disposed horizontal transversely of theimplement. The electric power unit 48 is of the same type as the unitsI2 and 30, and includes a reversible electric motor 49; a reduction gearbox 50; an output shaft 5!; and a normally engaged but automaticallyreleasing brake 52.

A cable drum 53 is fixed on the output shaft 5| and a cable 54 extendsfrom the drum downwardly to connection with the apron 45, as at 55, inlift control relation to said apron. The drum 53 is quite narrow betweenthe sides thereof, whereby the cable 54 winds onto the latter in asingle coil. This is advantageous for the reason that when the cable isbeing wound onto the drum the circumference of such cable coilincreases, with the result that with each succeeding drum rotation thereis an increased line speed. This means that the apron will raise fasteradjacent the upper end of its path of movement, which is desirable. Withrotation of the electric 'power unit 48 in one direction, the apron 45will be lowered to the closed position of Fig. 1, while rotation of thepower unit in the other direction will raise the apron to the positionthereof shown in Fig; 2.

The electric power units I 2, 30 and 48 are selectively andindependently controlled, as well as reversibly actuated, through themedium of an electric circuit (not here shown) which is arranged so thatthe operator, from his seat on the tractor, may readily causeenergization, in reversing directions, of the electric motorsincorporated in said power units; the brakes of said units automaticallyreleasing whenever the corresponding motor is energized. The electricityfor energizing the motors of the several power units is derived from aheavy-duty generator mounted on the tractor and driven from the engineof the latter.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice, deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the follow ing is claimed as newand useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. In an earth working scraper which includes a bowl having bottom andside walls and an ejector element movable between the side walls toeject a load in the bowl, a means for reciprocating the ejector elementbetween said side walls, such means including a frame projectingrearwardly of the ejector element and rigid relative thereto, a nutnon-rotatably fixed in the outer end of said frame, a frame projectingrearwardly from the bowl and being rigid therewith, said second namedframe projecting to a point spaced to the rear of said nut, a reversibleelectric motor fixed to the outer end of the second named frame inspaced relation to but substantially in alinement with said nut, arelatively long screw threaded through said nut, the outer end of saidscrew being connected in driving relation with the output shaft of saidelectric motor.

2. A structure as in claim 1, including a closed tubular guard fixedrigidly to the nut and to the ejecting element and disposed about thescrew and being concentric therewith.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 902,115 Sharp Oct. 2'7, 19081,056,248 Atkinson Mar. 18, 1913 1,530,779 Le Tourneau Mar. 14, 19251,567,690 Weaver Dec. 29, 1925 1,583,665 Cox May 4, 1926 1,627,872Strayer May 10, 1927 2,015,880 Wold Oct. 1, 1935 2,180,658 Austin Nov.21, 1939 2,189,222 Rapp Feb. 6, 1940 2,216,235 French Oct. 1, 19402,224,438 Le Bleu Dec. 10, 1940 2,273,010 Austin Feb. 17, 1942 2,302,335Low Nov. 17, 1942 2,353,120 Austin July 11, 1944 2,363,402 Daniels Nov.21,1944 2,383,978 Le Tourneau Sept. 4, 1945

